[tf1-survey] RE: ICANN/GNSO Whois tf1: Your need for Whois information

[Paul Stahura <stahura@xxxxxxxx>]

Registrarstats.com does not use any registrar whois information whatsoever
to compile its statistics.  It uses only the zone-file information and
registry whois, and that only to determine the registrar-of-record for a
particular name, not the registrant.

That said, here are the answers to the questions:
1 b
2 a
3 no (its compiled and presented in an aggregate, statistical form)
4 e
5 a
6 I but trying to be j 
7 registrarstats performs a whois lookup at the registry for each domain
that has been registered recently to obtain the registrar-of-record
information.  It does this about once per week.  During the other days, it
interpolates this information based on an estimate of the authorative
DNS-market-share for each registrar.
8 web-based, or bulk-access, or whatever interface replaces port-43, if any
9 minimal. The software that gets the registrar-of-record information would
have to be modified.  If the entire service went away it would not cause
much financial disruption to the business.
10 c (other: not cost or convenience)  Because its there and people are
interesting in seeing timely estimate of registrar market share data.





-----Original Message-----
From: GNSO SECRETARIAT [mailto:gnso.secretariat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2004 10:10 AM
To: Paul Stahura
Subject: ICANN/GNSO Whois tf1: Your need for Whois information


From: ICANN Whois Taskforce 1

Re: Your need for Whois information

To: Registrarstats.com ENOM

Dear Paul,

Because Whois data accessibility used in your business or activities could
be affected by our recommendations, we encourage you to take a few moments
to answer the questions below. Your input will be greatly appreciated. Your
submissions will not be shared beyond the members of this task force.



This letter comes to you on behalf of the Generic Names Supporting
Organization (GNSO) of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers (ICANN).    ICANN is an internationally organized, non-profit
corporation that has responsibility for Internet Protocol address space
allocation, protocol identifier assignment, generic and country code
Top-Level Domain name system management, and root server system management
functions.  The GNSOs role is to help to promote the development of gTLD
domain name-related policy and encourage diverse and international
participation in the technical management of the Internet.



We are members of a Task Force that has been appointed by the GNSO to
examine the uses of Whois information obtained through two very specific
sources.    Under contractual agreements with ICANN, top-level domain
registries and registrars are required to provide access to Whois data
through Port 43as well as through the Web.



To help the task force develop policy recommendations about access to Whois
data, we are gathering information from organizations such as yours that we
understand are using or have used Whois information for various purposes.



Please note that all questions pertain only to whois information which is
the name, email, street address, phone and other information about the
registrant, and the other contacts, of the domain name), and not to zone
file information which is the list of all domain names (with each names
name servers) registered at the registry.



In addition, for each question except for the last one, please feel free to
select more than one answer to each question, if more than one answer is
applicable.



In order to ensure that your responses are considered by the Task Force,
please respond to this questionnaire by no later than February 16,
2004.  Please send your reply to
<mailto:tf1-survey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>tf1-survey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx




Questions



1) ICANN-Accredited Registrars and gTLD Registries make Whois information
available through multiple query-based mechanisms, including web-based
interfaces and a special network protocol informally referred to as port-43
Whois.  How do you obtain the Whois information?





a.            By submitting queries to a Web-based interface

b.            By submitting queries using special tools, e.g., using
port-43-based interface

c.            By entering into bulk access licenses with ICANN- accredited
registrars.

d.            By obtaining WHOIS data in bulk from an entity that is not an
ICANN-Accredited Registrar.  Please specify the type of entity.

e.            Other (Please explain)

f.              I don't know.



2) Are you getting this information directly from an ICANN-Accredited
Registrar [Provide a link] or gTLD Registry [Provide a link]?

a.            Yes

b.            No.

c.            I don't know



3) Do you routinely disseminate the obtained Whois information to third
parties (Yes/No/dont know)?



3.1)            If yes, do you disseminate:

3.2)

a. individual WHOIS records

b. WHOIS records in bulk

c. Other (please explain)

d. Dont know



3.2)      If you answered yes to Number 3, how do you disseminate the
obtained Whois information?



a)      I operate a WHOIS proxy that is available through port 43

b)      I operate a WHOIS proxy that is accessible through a web interface

c)      Other (please specify)

d)      Dont know



4) Approximately how many Whois queries/lookups do you perform on average
per day?



a.            Less than 10

b.            10-99

c.            100-1000

d.            More than 1000

e.            It varies too much to select the other options: some days it
is many (say, over 1000) and some days none

f.              I don't know



5) Do you store the Whois information?



a.            Not at all

b.            I cache queries for a short period (less than a week)

c.            I store it for longer periods such as more than a week



6) Please indicate the general purposes of your use of Whois data (you may
select more than one item - choose as many that apply)



a.            For law enforcement by public authorities

b.            For intellectual property enforcement by trademark/copyright
holders or their designated representatives

c.            For development of commercial products or services that
facilitate law enforcement by public authorities.

d.            For development of commercial products or services that
facilitate intellectual property enforcement

e.            For marketing purposes

f.              For inter-registrar domain name transfers

g.            To facilitate spam prevention

h.            To operate a public information service

i.              Statistical research on domain name registrations, Internet
users, etc.

j.              For resale of Whois information as an information service

k.            Other: ___________________________________



7) Please provide a brief explanation of your use, if any, of query-based
Whois services.



8) If you currently use Port 43 to access WHOIS information, and such
access were not available in the future, what other source(s) would you use
for such data?





9) If you were to use such alternate source(s), what do you believe will be
the effect on you or your organization?





10) What is the most important factor driving your access to Whois data as
you currently use it?  your access to WHOIS data.  (Although each answer
may be applicable to you or your organization, please select only the most
relevant answer below):



   a) the cost

   b) the convenience or need for immediate online access to contact
information



   c)  other



Please explain your answer.



Please take a moment to tell us a little about your organization to assist
us in understanding and organizing the results.



In order to ensure that your responses are considered by the Task Force,
please respond to this questionnaire by no later than February 16,
2004.  Please send your reply to tf1-survey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx:



Thank you very much for your time and participation.  For our complete
description of  work, please see
<http://gnso.icann.org/issues/whois-privacy/tor.shtml>http://gnso.icann.org/
issues/whois-privacy/tor.shtml.